To:A. D. TSYURUPA

Published:First published in 1959 inLenin Miscellany XXXVI.

      Printed from the original.Source:Lenin
	  Collected Works,

      Progress Publishers,1976,

      Moscow,Volume 45,

      pages487b-490a.Translated:Yuri SdobnikovTranscription\Markup:R. CymbalaPublic Domain:Lenin Internet ArchiveYou may freely copy, distribute,
	display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and
	commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet
	Archive” as your source.•README

27/II.1922.

A.D.Tsyurupa, C.L.D. Deputy Chairman. S.E.C. Chairman

Copies:

Pyatakov (GUT[1])Morozov (Glavtorf[2])People’s Commissariat for FinancePeople’s Commissariat for Workers’
and Peasants’ Inspection

Ihereby issue areprimandfor failure to perform their
official duty and for allowing red tape on the
Gidrotorf[3]case.

ToComrade PyatakovComrade MorozovComrades Zaks and Gorbunov.

ComradePyatakov, acting head of GUT, should not have
“requested me to believe” (his paper of 22/II) or “requested
me either to satisfy Gidrotorf over and above the estimates,
or allow a reduction of its activity”—such a “request”
addressed to me is failure to understand the elements of
state relations—he should have giventhoughtas to how
tofulfil the C.P.C. decision(and not mine) on Gidrotorf
of
30.X.1920.[5]

IfPyatakov had not been informed of this decision, it
is necessary to arrest the numerous GUT specialists and
red tapists, whose duty it was to know, to inquire, and
to give Pyatakov a reminder. Not to put such scoundrels
under arrest is to encourage red tape, which is stifling us.

TheC.P.C. decision of 30.X.1920 makes it clear that,
finding himself in a quandary, Pyatakov should not have
written an empty paper No. 00770 (of 22.II), but should
at once have called (or should have asked the S.E.C.
Chairman or A. D. Tsyurupa to call) a conference of the People’s
Commissars for the S.E.C. + Finance + Workers’ and
Peasants’ Inspection for the purpose of at once working out
a draft C.L.D. and C.P.C. decision (to take so much from
Tsutorf[4]or Glavtorf, so much from GUT for Gidrotorf, to
allocate so much over and above the estimates, and to
reduce the Gidrotorf programme by so much).

Itwas Pyatakov’s duty to do this in pursuance of the
C.P.C. decision of 30.X.1920, whichbindsall People’s
Commissariats in fact to recognise Gidrotorf as “being of
exceptional state importance”, and apply “all privileges”
to it....

ComradeMorozov should have urgently requested
the convocation of such a conference (and complained about
any delay), instead of writing a purely squabbling piece
of paper on 22.II (No. 184/л, in Register: 22/II.1922) in
which the author engages in indecent whimpering instead
of making business-like proposals.

ComradesZaks and Gorbunov, if they had had any idea
of their duty as members of theManaging Department,
instead of being guided by the spirit of exchange of the
most empty-pieces of paper, should have found the C.P.C.
decision of 30.X.1920, and should have themselves read
from it the only correct,the only lawfulway: immediate
convocation of a People’s Commissars’ conference. The
papers in the charge of Zaks and Gorbunov are even
outwardly in disorder, because there is no reference to the
law, nor a concise summary of the Gidrotorf application,
nor any record of the date of this summary, or of mymarking. If such negligence is shown once again, I shall
dismiss both Zaks and Gorbunov from their posts.

ComradeTsyurupa, I ask you to have the above-named
comrades sign immediately that they are aware of the
reprimand issued to them, and to prescribe to the People’s
Commissars for the S.E.C., Finance and Workers’ and
Peasants’ Inspection to convene, at once, if possible on
Tuesday, 28/II, but riot later than Wednesday, 1/III, in any
case, an early morning conference with the personal
participation of the People’s Commissars (who may send in
comrades who are quite competent and capable of deciding
in their stead, to substitute for them, if they are absolutely
unable to attend for a good reason) and of a representative
from Gidrotorf, and also, of course, of GUT and Glavtorf.

Thetask of the conference: to carry out not only the
letter, but the meaning of the C.P.C. decision of 30.X.1920,
and try to give maximum satisfaction to Gidrotorf (if it
is impossible to do so 100 per cent, then make sure anyway that
the bulk of its 1922 work should be completed). Gidrotorf
should be satisfied partly at the expense of Tsutorf and
GUT, and partly over and above the estimates. Be sure to
complete the work by the evening of 1.III, and bring it
up at the C.L.D. administrative sitting on the evening of
1.III for subsequent approval by the C.L.D. and the
Council of People’s
Commissars.[6]

Please,strictly instruct the Secretariat and keep a
personal check on the speed and correctness of the
execution of this order.

Consciousrevolutionaries should, apart from their
official duties, give thought to the economic reasons which
had made the C.P.C. recognise Gidrotorf as “being of
exceptional state importance”.

V.Ulyanov(Lenin)Chairman, C.P.C.

ComradeTsyurupa:

Iam sending you a specimen of our vile red tape and
obtuseness!

Justthink—these areour bestmen, Pyatakov, Morozov
and others!

Ifit weren’t for the knout, they would have ruined the
whole cause.

Itis myearnestrequest that you do everything you can
right away, hit those who are guilty once again more
painfully andgetthe thing doneat once(through Gorbunov and
Lepeshinskaya, whom I told to prepare the 30.X.1920 decree,
etc., for you). Let Gidrotorf have 90 per cent if not 100 per cent.

Yours,Lenin

[1]S.E.C.Central Fuel Administration.—Ed.

[2]S.E.C.Central Peat Administration.—Ed.

[3]Administrationfor Hydraulic Peat Extraction.—Ed.

[4]CentralBoard for the Peat Industry of the S.E.C. Central
Fuel Administration.—Ed.

[5]Areference to the C.P.C. decision of October 30, 1920, “On the
Use of the Hydraulic Extraction of Peat”.

[6]Theconference which was held on February 28, 1922, with A. D.
Tsyurupa in the chair, decided to let the Administration for
Hydraulic Peat Extraction have 1.2 million gold rubles from the C.P.C.
reserve fund. This decision was incorporated in the C.P.C. decision
taken the same day. See this volume, Document 624.